WPF ReportViewer Overview

2 Jun 20211 minute to read

Essential ReportViewer is a rendering component to display reports defined in the Microsoft’s RDL format (2008 or 2008 R2) on both WPF and Silverlight applications. By using the ReportViewer, you can display tabular, graphical or free-form reports that make use of relational, multi-dimensional, XML and object data source. It supports both Server and Client reports.

The important features of WPF ReportViewer are listed as follows:

  • RDL Specification - Supports RDL Specification for SQL Server 2008 and RDL Specification for SQL Server 2008 R2 only. You can refer MSDN for list of available specifications - msdn.microsoft.com/library/dd297486(SQL.100).
  • Data sources - You can use advanced Database server data sources in the ReportViewer (SQL, Oracle and Azure).
  • Charts - Show all basic types of Charts that are available in Microsoft RDL reports.
  • Tablix - Shows the summaries and simple tables.
  • Gauge - Shows measurement values by using expression values.
  • Textbox - Shows textbox data with expression support.
  • Report Parameter - View the report based on report parameter value.
  • Expression - You can use expression to handle reports.
  • Printing - Prints the assigned document.
  • Customization - You can customize the ReportViewer appearance.

By using the ReportViewer, you can show variety of interactive MicrosoftReport Definition Language (RDL) standard reports. The reports can be exported to PDF and displayed by using ReportViewer.